The present invention is directed to a flexible ring device, useable as key ring, locking ring, etc., which is simple, economical to manufacture and easy to use. In particular, the invention is directed to a closable ring device in which the principal ring element is a short section of flexible material, with a unique and advantageous arrangement for joining and releasing opposite ends of the flexible section for opening and closing the ring.
The prior art contains examples of key rings and the like of this general type, comprising a section of flexible metal cable, for example, and a connector means for joining and releasing the cable ends. An early form of such device is reflected in the Tudor U.S. Pat. No. 2,771,768, in which opposite ends of a flexible cable can be joined and released by a twisting motion of the cable. A later device, reflected in the Faris U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,982, utilizes a short section of flexible cable and a ball and socket-type connector means at the cable ends. The ball end can be inserted into a lateral opening in the companion coupling member, and then slid into a restricted slot, from which the ball portion can not easily be removed. The normal resilience of the cable element tends to maintain the ball element in the restricted slot during normal usage. In the Reutlinger U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,870, a spring actuated ball chuck captures one end of a flexible cable section. The cable is automatically locked by spring action of the chuck, and is released by manually pressing a chuck plunger in the opening direction.
In accordance with the present invention, an improved closable ring arrangement is provided, in which the opposite ends of a flexible section may be locked in a closed configuration by simple axial insertion of the free end of the flexible section into a cylindrical coupling device. Unlike the device of the Tudor patent, which must be gripped firmly enough at its opposite ends to be twisted for coupling and decoupling, and unlike the device of the Faris patent, in which the opposite ends of the key ring must be disposed nearly at right angles for coupling and uncoupling, the device of the present invention is coupled and uncoupled by an axial end-on motion. Although an axial coupling and uncoupling motion is provided for in the device of the Reutlinger patent, the device of that patent is unnecessarily complicated and expensive for a key ring device, requiring several moving parts. With the device of the present invention, by contrast, the free end of the flexible element is inserted axially into a cylindrical coupling. When tension is applied to the closed ring, the free end is automatically locked by a coupling sleeve. Disengagement of the coupling, and opening of the key ring is enabled by a simple, easily accomplished alignment of the free end of the flexible element with the coupling sleeve, followed by axial withdrawal.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, useful as a key ring, for example, one end of a resilient flexible element is permanently affixed to one end of a short cylindrical coupling sleeve. The free end of the flexible element carries a coupling plug, arranged to be closely received within the coupling sleeve. Adjacent the free end of the coupling sleeve, there is a notch which forms an inwardly facing locking shoulder. When the ring is to be closed, the coupling plug is inserted into the sleeve to a point at least slightly beyond the shoulder. By merely releasing the flexible element, the normal resilience of the flexible element, which tends to restore it to a generally straighter configuration, tilts the coupling plug to cause it to engage the locking shoulder. The coupling plug is thus locked against axial withdrawal from the coupling sleeve, and the ring remains firmly and reliably locked in its closed configuration, until intentionally released. Opening of the ring is achieved by overcoming the natural resilience of the flexible element sufficiently to align the free end of the flexible element generally with the axis of the coupling sleeve, whereupon the coupling plug may be easily withdrawn axially out of the open end of the sleeve.
The device is simple, inexpensive, attractive and easy to use.
For a more complete understanding of the above and other features and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and to the accompanying drawings.